Shiatsu for Stress and Health Maintenance Shiatsu, the Japanese art of finger pressure, is not well known in the west. Most people associate it with massage. But actually, shiatsu is a complete system of bodywork which includes examination, diagnosis and treatment, based on an ancient system of healing. Sometime around 1000 A.D., the Chinese visited Japan and brought their medicine, including the practice of acupuncture. At that time, the traditional Japanese Anma massage was already well established as a safe and effective method of medical treatment. Over the course of time, it was natural that these two systems would evolve together and combine into a completely new form of therapy. The result of this meeting was shiatsu (literally meaning, "finger pressure"). Shiatsu consists of rhythmic, single point pressure applied with the thumb or fingers, along some 660 points on the body. During the treatment, the practitioner is continuously assessing the underlying tissue and making a determination as to how much pressure to apply as well as how long to hold it. Shiatsu is simple, safe, non-invasive and at the same time, very effective in the treatment of many common disorders of our modern society. Based on research in Japan, it has been documented that shiatsu is very effective in calming the sympathetic nervous system and improving the function of the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, lymph nodes, endocrine glands and internal organs. In addition, it has been shown that shiatsu assists the body in eliminating toxins and metabolic waste. The autonomic nervous system consists of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic functions. These two systems are designed to work together like two sides of a balance. The sympathetic system helps the body to function in states of stress or excitation. When the sympathetic system is dominant, the pupils dilate, the heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, adrenaline is produced, digestion is shut down and in general, the body's attention is focused on the peripheral muscles and nerves in order to react appropriately in a "fight or flight" situation. When the parasympathetic system is dominant, the body's attention shifts to the internal organs: the peripheral muscles and nerves relax, digestive organs become more active, secretions increase, blood pressure and heart rate decline, and in general, the body prepares to relax and replenish its energy. At any given point in time, either the sympathetic or parasympathetic mode is dominant. Our nervous systems are designed to shift back and forth between these two modes of functioning, several times a day. Problems arise when we become stuck in one mode for too long. And in the stress of our modern society, the overwhelming tendency if to become stuck in the "fight or flight" or sympathetic mode. Over time, this chronic over stimulation of the sympathetic system can lead to problems such as hypertension, headaches, dizziness, irritable bowel syndrome, muscular or skeletal pain, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal disorders. Because of its profound calming effect on the sympathetic nerves, shiatsu is particularly effective in treating these kinds of disorders. Shiatsu also has a profound cleansing effect, helping to flush toxins from the body. The deep pressure, applied in a specific way along the trunk and limbs, helps to loosen accumulated toxins and move them into the proper channels so that they can be neutralized and eliminated from the body. Shiatsu is usually applied as a whole body treatment. Although treatment focused on a particular area of discomfort will bring some relief, treatment of the whole body on a regular basis will insure that the underlying cause of the problem is addressed and will help to prevent its recurrence. From this perspective, many patients have decided to make shiatsu a regular part of their routine health maintenance. In this country we don't think much about routine health maintenance. We go to the doctor when we are sick and the rest of the time, we don't think much about our health. But in other parts of the world, it is widely recognized that the body, much like a car, needs routine maintenance in order to function normally and give us the kind of performance we need. The effects of daily wear and tear, accumulated toxins and especially stress, weaken all the systems of the body and accelerate the aging process. Shiatsu reverses this process by helping to relax the peripheral nerves and muscles and release stress and accumulated toxins. After a treatment, we feel lightness in the limbs, renewed energy, and an overall sense of well being. In addition, most people experience improved digestion and deeper sleep. This is why I recommend routine shiatsu treatments as the basis of any health maintenance program. References |
